From the Heart by Mario Adnet

Brazilian composer, producer and guitarist Mario Adnet personifies Brazilian jazz music done just right. Adnet who has been recording since the 1970s has finally released his first solo CD From the Heart to the US audience. And what a pleasure it is to have this caliber of Brazilian jazz music among your extensive CD collection. But then again, what do you expect from a man who has worked with some of the best names in Brazilian jazz music like Milton Nascimento, Antonio Carlos Jobin and Joao Bosco to name a few.

There are twelve jewels enclosed in this compilation which serve as a good preamble to a romantic evening. It features some of Adnet's older works as well as unreleased songs.

On the title track "From the Heart" Adnet can be heard fret-dancing as he scats atop a cloying samba-infused arrangement. He follows this up with the flute-driven "Music Inside", a track that is a distant cousin to the theme from the TV show "Taxi" in terms of how subtle yet effective it is.

One would love the musical interchange in "Walking Song", as piano and guitar flow into a sea of a beguine melody replete with chord progressions. But the real prize on this compilation would have to go to "Almost", a track that mere words can't describe, you'll have to hear it for yourself to appreciate it. Be prepared to put this track on loop infinite on your CD player.

Finally on tracks like "Baiambe" and "Escaping Carnival", you can't help but envision an Italian city, where outdoor cafes brew fresh coffee and gondolas occupy the canals. It is that musically vivid.

The CD was co-produced by Adnet's wife and his daughters contributed to it as well. Splendid!